HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (August 19, 2014) - The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) Department of Music will perform during the Fifth Anniversary Concerts of the Twickenham Fest, Aug. 28 - 31. UAH will also host the opening and closing concerts on campus.

Twickenham Fest is Alabama's Premiere Summer Chamber Music Festival. In 2010, renowned opera singer Susanna Phillips (soprano), and Matthew McDonald, principal bassoon of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, co-founded the week-long chamber music festival. Both Phillips and McDonald grew up in Huntsville. The annual event, invites young musicians to participate in the festival's anniversary concerts, and the engagement and education week activities which include masterclasses and workshops with music students at UAH. "The UAH Department of Music is honored to host the opening and closing concerts of the celebrated Twickenham Fest series. We are proud to partner with Susanna, Matt, and their talented colleagues on this important music festival. And we're exceptionally delighted that these concerts will be the first public events in our new Recital Hall at UAH. Hosting the Twickenham artists in our beautiful new music performance space is a perfect match and a terrific win for classical music lovers of Huntsville and the region," said Dave Ragsdale, associate professor and chair of the UAH Department of Music.

Phillips made her Metropolitan Opera debut in 2008, in La Boheme. She was the recipient of the Metropolitan Opera's 2010 Beverly Sills Artist Award. In 2014-15, Phillips will return to The Metropolitan Opera starring as Antonia in Bartlett Sher's production of Les Contes D'Hoffman.

Before McDonald was appointed principal bassoon of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra in 2013, he performed in the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra and the ProMusica Chamber in Columbus, Ohio. Additionally, McDonald performed as soloist with the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra, the Cleveland Orchestra and the International Double Reed Society.

All concerts are free to the public, but paper tickets will not be issued for general admission. Donations of $20 are asked to reserve seats for the performances.